title: Ghrelin: a novel neuromuscular recovery promoting factor?
abstract: Promoting neuromuscular recovery after neural injury is a major clinical issue. While techniques for nerve reconstruction are continuously improving and most peripheral nerve lesions can be repaired today, recovery of the lost function is usually unsatisfactory. This evidence claims for innovative nonsurgical therapeutic strategies that can implement the outcome after neural repair. Although no pharmacological approach for improving posttraumatic neuromuscular recovery has still entered clinical practice, various molecules are explored in experimental models of neural repair. One of such molecules is the circulating peptide hormone ghrelin. This hormone has proved to have a positive effect on neural repair after central nervous system lesion, and very recently its effectiveness has also been demonstrated in preventing posttraumatic skeletal muscle atrophy. By contrast, no information is still available about its effectiveness on peripheral nerve regeneration although preliminary data from our laboratory suggest that this molecule can have an effect also in promoting axonal regeneration after nerve injury and repair. Should this be confirmed, ghrelin might represent an ideal candidate as a therapeutic agent for improving posttraumatic neuromuscular recovery because of its putative effects at all the various structural levels involved in this regeneration process, namely, the central nervous system, the peripheral nerve, and the target skeletal muscle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin & Neuroscience Institute Cavalieri Ottolenghi, Turin, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raimondo
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ronchi
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geuna
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pascal
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reano
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Filigheddu
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Graziani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D059348:Peripheral Nerve Injuries / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D054439:Ghrelin; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents
keywords: Ghrelin; Injury; Peripheral nerve; Regeneration; Skeletal muscle